Fabric Mart Fabricistas

I did it!  I finally did it! I made JEANS!  This was my first time ever for making real 100% cotton non stretch jeans!  Did it take some time? Yes. Did I have to seam rip a lot? Yes.  Was it worth it?  A thousand times yes!   My jeans were made of Fabric Mart's dark denim fabric. It was the perfect weight and I love the dark color.  It is totally non stretch which was perfect for the pattern I used.  I sewed up the Morgan Jeans from Closet Core Patterns (my favorite pattern company of all time).  They are a boyfriend fit so they are drafted to be a little loose. This pattern helps you get all the features of ready to wear jeans.  Top stitching with gold thread, back pocket detail, rivets and button fly closure.  I did accidentally buy a zipper fly kit so mine has that instead of a button fly closure.  It is really recommended to do a muslin to get the right fit. Closet Core drafts a slightly longer crotch seam so did hav...

I can’t believe we have made it to the end of another year.  Since this post is coming out right around the holidays, I wanted to create something with a bit more glam. I found this velvet sequin knit and I will say it is even more gorgeous in person.  For my look I decided to make the Mimi G x Simplicity S9370 but I decided to turn it into a gown! To do this I measured from my waist to floor to add the additional length that I needed and added additional to the back to make it have a small train.  I spread the hem of the skirt to create more of a trumpet style silhouette which made the perfect gown. This fabric was actually very easy to work with, since it is a velvet, it does have nap, so I had to make sure that I cut in the correct direction.  I also noted that I should have pre-washed this fabric before using because the fabric dye did rub off a lot as I was working on it. Once I tried my dress on to check the fit I was in love! It was so comfortable and fit pe...

As 2021 draws to a close,  I don’t think it comes as a surprise that comfort dressing is here to stay, at least for a while. Now the definition of comfort dressing is different for all of us, and for me it means knits. However, I don’t always want to be in yoga pants and tees. That’s why I chose to sew a knit skirt and top using Vogue 1820. This two-piece ensemble gives me the comfort of yoga pants but in a more stylish way. The beauty of this design is that you can mix-and-match prints and/or solids, creating a one-of-a-kind look. Fabric Mart Fabrics has a multitude of knits to choose from at any given time which made it easy to choose coordinating fabrics. I knew I wanted to use prints in a monochromatic color scheme.  To find the five fabrics needed, I started by browsing the knit section on Fabric Mart’s website.  I knew I wanted black as my base color. As I found fabrics I thought would coordinate, I put them in my shopping cart.  That way I could look at the sh...

As the holidays are upon us it is always a fun time to find a way to get dressed up and have a good time.  One thing that always screams festive to me is sparkle!  When I saw this sparkle denim I just knew it would make something great to wear around this festive season and as one of my last posts as a Fabricista.  When the sparkle denim arrived The front of the fabric was a more normal dark-toned denim with just hints of sparkle but the back really shined bright! I wanted to find the perfect pieces that could highlight both aspects of the fabric together to make a statement.  I truly racked my brain trying to decide on a garment, did I want to go formal or have fun with something a bit more wearable in my wardrobe.  At the end of the day, I decided I wanted to shine bright in my casual comfort and taking inspiration from Rich Fresh I wanted to create a denim athleisure set of sorts;  so that I could dress it up or down and be comfortable on any occasion....

With just a few days to go before Christmas, I knew my final Fabric Mart make of 2021 needed to be fancy Christmas dresses for my daughters! Ignoring all the dire warnings from sewists on the Internet, I bravely selected some cranberry sequined stretch velvet, panther black polyester faux fur , and polyester stretch lining. And then I crossed my fingers and hoped I wouldn't have serious regrets!  Using the Peony Patterns Periwinkle Dress, I created the girls' dresses first. I love the statement sleeves on this knit dress, and thought it would showcase the sequins perfectly! To minimize scratchiness on the inside, I lined the dress bodice and sleeves with some knit lining from my stash. I also cut the sleeve cuff in half lengthways so that it could be lined as well. I did try to remove some of the sequins from the seams, but laziness ultimately won the day, and after it was completed, I sealed the exposed armscye and waist seams (the side seams are enclosed in the lining) with s...

Hi everyone!  I am back again today with my final blog for this year. It truly has been an amazing time to work with Fabric Mart & be a Fabricista. When we think of winter, we associate it with staying warm & cozy. I, myself, still like to dress up; so I made a turtleneck & long asymmetrical skirt & paired it with my favorite winter booties. It is the perfect holiday outfit, while still being able to wear it on different occasions. For my turtle neck, I decided to make a one-piece bodysuit, which I call a onesie. This is a garment that extended through the crotch like a panty or swimsuit & snaps at the bottom. These are truly a staple in my wardrobe; they are one of my favorite things to wear. They are my favorite to pair with fitted skirts & fitted pants, because they have a seamless appearance. To make the bodysuit, I used Simplicity’s pattern 8513 in View D. Everything fit extremely accurate, but I did make the neck hole an inch smaller. It was a very sim...

Hello Gems! So excited to share with you my most recent Fabricista feature this month with Fabric Mart fabric!  A couple of my go to trends this season are high necks with ties and slinky silhouettes! It's such an elegant and chic look that never fades. I created two looks using gorgeous prints from Fabric Marts selection! This time of year we see so many slinky form fitting dresses for the holiday season.  They are feminine, sexy and with the right fabrics and the right cut they fall against the figure and accentuate the curves so beautifully! This first look I used a bold Chevron print in peaches and blues that give off cool 70s vibes. And as you know, I love a 70s vibe. This fabric was even more gorgeous once I sewed it up! It melts onto the skin nicely. Its a medium weighted woven fabric with a lovely drape.  To execute this look I took Simplicity 9232 shirt pattern and created a dress by lengthening and drafting the bottom. I love the open sleeve detail this pattern ...